In 5 ABY, Incom-FreiTek introduced the T-70 model, which incorporated many improvements over the T-65 series. The Incom engineers, having learned a valuable lesson from the loss of so many X-wings in the trenches at Battle of Yavin, equipped the T-70 with a swiveling blaster cannon that could be used to fend off attacks from behind. At least one prototype had been constructed prior to the Battle of Jakku.[2] By 34 ABY, the New Republic had retired most of its T-70s in favor of the T-85s, which were even more capable than the already impressive T-70s.[3]

X-wings and TIEs engage in ship-to-ship combat above the surface of the Death Star

Within days of Scarif, the Empire learned that the Alliance was headquartered at Yavin 4, and deployed the Death Star to crush the Alliance. The Alliance, having learned of the battle station's fatal design flaw, deployed a force of 30 starfighters (including 22 X-wings) to attempt a series of attack runs on the planet-killing space station. The result was another costly victory for the Alliance. Luke Skywalker, a Force-sensitiveRebel pilot, fired a pair of proton torpedoes into the Death Star's thermal exhaust port, causing a chain reaction in the reactor that destroyed the entire station. Although the Death Star was gone, the Alliance lost 27 starfighters (including 20 X-wings) in the assault.[7]

In 3 ABY, numerous X-wings served as fighter escorts for the Alliance's GR-75 medium transports during the Battle of Hoth. The rearguard actions on the surface covering the evacuation proved costly to the Alliance, with many personnel killed. Additionally, the Alliance was forced to leave behind much of their heavy equipment, and the fleet scattered throughout the Outer Rim Territories. Most X-wings joined the Alliance fleet at a predetermined rendezvous point.[17]

Luke Skywalker, however, traveled to the Dagobah system to seek out Yoda, the former Grand Master of the Jedi Order. Due to Dagobah's thick fog, Skywalker crashed his X-wing in a swamp. Some time later, the starfighter sank further until it was almost fully submerged, at which point Skywalker attempted to recover it. While he had developed some skill with telekinesis, his self-doubt led to his ultimate inability to lift his waterlogged X-wing from the bog, and only with Yoda's assistance was the starfighter moved to solid ground. When Skywalker left the system, he traveled to Bespin, where he ended up abandoning his X-wing when circumstances compelled him to depart in the Millennium Falcon.[17]

By this time, Luke Skywalker had acquired another X-wing and flew it to Tatooine to lead the rescue of Han Solo, who had been arrested by Boba Fett and encased in carbonite at Jabba's Palace. Upon the successful completion of the rescue, Skywalker returned to Dagobah, fulfilling a promise to Yoda. After Yoda's death, Skywalker departed Dagobah for the final time, en route to Sullust to rejoin the Alliance fleet. On Skywalker's arrival, the entirety of the Alliance Fleet staged a large-scale assault on the Death Star II, an under-construction Imperial battle station with even more firepower than the original Death Star. Wedge Antilles and Lando Calrissian, accompanied by a group of starfighters, led an attack run deep within the bowels of the station and fired ordnance at the reactor core, destroying the station.[19]

X-wings fought Imperial forces at the Battle of Fondor alongside A-wings, U-wings, and Y-wings. The battle ultimately ended with a Rebel defeat, and the Empire securing weather control satellites for Operation Cinder.[21]

X-wings also engaged Imperial TIEs in a battle of Naboo, which resulted in the destruction of a series of Imperial weather control satellites and the failure of Operation: Cinder.[22]

By the end of the Battle of Naboo, the Alliance had reorganized itself into the New Republic and continued to operate the Alliance's starfighters.[21] New Republic X-wings saw action at the Battle of Naalol and the Rebellion on Akiva, both victories for the Republic.[23]

The Galactic Concordance treaty was signed in the middle of the battle, which marked the final surrender of the Empire. The Imperial ships that hadn't been destroyed in the fighting began jumping into the Unknown Regions, and went on to form the nucleus of the First Order Navy.[27]

In the mission to Kaddak, Commander Poe Dameron stowed his own personal T-70 X-wing, Black One, in the cargo compartment of a freighter. After a series of complications required a quick evacuation from the planet, Dameron abandoned the freighter and left in Black One.[31]

Later, Dameron and BB-8 flew a T-70 to Jakku in order to meet Lor San Tekka in the village of Tuanul. Tekka had in his possession the Map to Skywalker, which was eagerly sought by both the First Order and the Resistance. The First Order also tracked down Tekka and launched an attack on Tuanul, killing him and all the villagers. Dameron attempted to flee in his X-wing, but the ship was damaged and subsequently destroyed.[35]

On April 25, 2014, Lucasfilm announced that the Expanded Universe would be discontinued and rebranded as "Legends" in anticipation of the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. All existing Expanded Universe material was declared non-canon, and the only previously published works that would still be canon were the original trilogy, prequel trilogy, the Star Wars: The Clone Warsfilm and TV series, and Part I of Blade Squadron. All products published on or after that date, with the exception of the continuation of a few Legends stories, would be part of a new, unified canonicity system in which all works were declared either canon or non-canon from the outset. Legends characters, organizations, titles, creatures, sentient species, droid models, vehicles, vessels, events, weapons, and locations would still be available for authors of new canon material with the approval of the Lucasfilm Story Group.

After the announcement, known to many fans as the Great Retcon, Lucasfilm began publishing new canon material that introduced new X-wing models, including the T-70 and T-85 X-wing fighters. An X-wing model that was formerly unique to Legends, the T-65C-A2 X-wing starfighter, was re-canonized by the release of Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide